The UK Coffee Leader Summit returns March 2026

Early registration is now open for the UK’s leading coffee and hospitality gathering, which will take place at London’s The Langham on 26 March 2026

As the UK coffee and hospitality sector undergoes its most significant restructuring in a decade, World Coffee Portal, in partnership with Coffee Ventures Europe, is delighted to announce the return of the UK Coffee Leader Summit on 26 March 2026 at The Langham, London. 

The one-day business intelligence and match-making event will explore the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the UK coffee industry, where operators face growing competition and higher costs – and the bar for quality has never been set higher.  

“Fifth wave operators are proving boutique-at-scale works. Ultra-efficient low-cost players have refined their model to profitable simplicity. But the cookie-cutter approach that sustained mid-market chains for a decade? It’s dying. The operators who win in 2026 will be the ones who can answer one question: What makes you unmissable?” said Ludovic Rossignol, CEO, Coffee Ventures Europe. 

Business intelligence meets strategic partnerships 

The UK Coffee Leader Summit brings together 60 leading UK buyers, from branded café chains, retailers, QSRs, contract caterers, and hotel groups, with 60 carefully curated suppliers and next-generation brands.  

Unlike traditional trade shows, the event combines market intelligence with pre-matched 1:1 meetings designed to forge partnerships that typically take months to establish. 

The day opens with Jeffrey Young, Founder and CEO of World Coffee Portal, presenting exclusive Project Café UK 2026 insights, followed by five essential masterclasses addressing:  

• Future trends for branded coffee chains 
• The automation opportunity (efficiency without losing soul) 
• Beverage innovation that actually converts 
• Coffee at home vs. coffee at work dynamics 
• What’s next for UK coffee and hospitality 

Between business intelligence sessions, attendees will participate in 15-minute pre-qualified meetings with potential partners matched to their specific 2026 business priorities.  

The model eliminates the inefficiency of traditional trade shows by pre-matching buyers with suppliers based on specific business needs and purchasing priorities, enabling operators to secure over 15 qualified meetings in a single day.  

“We’re not maximising attendance – we’re optimising for outcomes,” explains Yan Li, Head of New Business & Partnerships at Coffee Ventures Europe. “120 people. No exhibition halls. No random networking. Just the conversations that move businesses forward,” he adds.  

An industry gathering like no other 

Major UK coffee chains, foodservice operators, and retailers have confirmed attendance, alongside leading suppliers including La Marzocco, BRITA, and emerging fifth wave brands redefining the sector.  

“By March 27th, everyone in that room will have insights their competitors won’t see for months and partnerships that took a day to forge, not a year,” says Rossignol.